Snap cap

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A snap cap is a device which appears similar to a standard firearm cartridge but contains no primer or projectile and is used to dry fire the weapon. Snap caps usually contain a spring-dampened false primer which absorbs the force from the firing pin allowing you to safely test-fire the gun without damaging the components.

Rimfire weapons, and some centerfire weapons of older design should never be test-fired with the chamber empty as this leads to weakening and possible breakage of the firing pin and increased wear to other components. In the instance of a rimfire weapon, "dry firing" can also cause deformation of the chamber edge. For this reason many shooters use a snap cap to cushion the weapon's firing pin as it moves forward.

Snap caps do have usage as a training tool to replace live rounds for loading and unloading drills, as well as training for mis-fires or "jams".